Traditional games in a portuguese village

When we need money in a village in Portugal, we make a party. The villages, to grow, do not expect the money to fall from the sky! The best way to build a retirement home, a soccer pitch or a a nursing home, it is, therefore, to appeal to the own villagers, bringing them to a feast. The benefits of party serve to the village itself. I present you here a small aspect of the traditional games that we play during a village feast, which take place during the afternoon, after lunch, where everyone eat, but especially to pass a good time between neighbours.

Half a barrel, used as a barbecue

Clay pots suspended, waiting to be broken …

After lunch, people won’t soon for the games. Does too much heat to be outside, under the summer sun, and anyway, it is better to take a nap or drink coffee. Some play at cards, others return home to cool off. Only two traditional games are present, not counting the “Chinquilho”, a game always played in the village, party or not. These games are simple and fun, anyone can play. I do not know the name of them, if they have a name, but I can describe them to you! 😀

The Office is there so you can sign up to the games

To play, you need to apply to the staff that organizes. These organizers of festivals change periodically, once a year, or every two or three years, according to. Should not be always the sames to work, isn’t it? So after requesting to participate, we paid a euro to have the right to play once, in one of the games.Prizes to win: chickens, roosters and chickens, alive, that each one can cook in his own way later. Did I told you that we are in the countryside?

Barbecues, ready for grilling meat

The first game is by bicycle. With suspended pots, full of different things. Some have water, other sand, others just air. In each pot, a small paper, showing what is the prize won. The goal of the game is simple: while pedalling in the bike, we have to hit a pot with a stick and break it. If in the paper can be read “chicken”, it won a chicken. If in the paper is written “round-trip walk to Fatima”, you win this fabulous travel 🙂

Have to break the pot while you are doing bicycle

It turns out that often people wets himself from a pot full of water, and earns himself something unnecessary,but, as so well said the organizer of the game, “all pots are winners”, even if won price is a “large bowl of fresh air”. This is a game of dexterity more complicated than it seems, pots not let break so easily! Everybody can participate, from 7 to 77 years, men or women. Don’t need to have a particular talent, just some skills and mostly good humour.

The second game is a little more participative, the public can “assist” the player. The player have to break an egg, blindfolded, with a large stick (here, is more a large tube for watering the maize …). Make sure to rotate three times the person a few metres from the egg. Someone of trust just help in guiding the player only speaking to him. It must break the egg with a single stroke. An egg broken, a chicken won. The problem for play, is that the public, instead of help, is doing everything so that the player fails, giving wrong instructions… It is a joyful cacophony!

Behind the bucket, an egg, waiting to be broken

The goal of the game is to break the egg with a large stick, blindfolded

So goes life in a village, with festivities between neighbours, which allows to fortify relations of friendship and camaraderie, and to build something together. It is not easy to organize, but the reward is great in the end! Ends the day around a good barbecue, the sandwiches are so delicious… 😉